Method of making wooden-sole shoes



July 3, 1928.

E. PFESTROFF METHOD OF MAKING vWOODEN SOLE SHOES Original Filed Aug. 11,1924 will?) Patented July 3, 1928.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ERNESTO PFESTROFF, OF PORTO ALEGR-E, BRAZIL.

METHOD OF MAKING WOODEN-SOLE SHOES.

Application filed August 11, 1924, Serial No. 731,517. Renewed April 28,1928.

This invention relates to a flexible wooden shoe, and to a method ofmaking such shoe. Objects of this invention are to provide a shoe whichhas a flexible wooden sole, to provide a shoe which is extremelyserviceable and comfortable although provided with a wooden sole, and toprovide a shoe which may be readily produced at a minimum of ex ense.

urther objects are to provide a method of making a flexible wooden soledshoe which. may be practised with the utmost ease, which results in aneat and serviceable construction and which insures the accuratealigning of 5 successive portions of the sole.

Embodiments of the invention are shown in the accompanying drawings, inwhich Figure 1 is a side elevation partly in section of the sole in onestage of its manufacture. I

Figure 2 shows a corresponding view illustrating the next stage.

Figure 3 is a top view of the structure shown in Figure 3.

Figure 4 is a side view of the completed shoe. 7

Figure 5 is a fragmentary view of a modified form.

In practising this invention a piece of leather or similar material 1and a piece of wood 2, cut to the outline of the sole are securedtogether by regularly spaced tacks-0r short nails 3. It is to be notedthat these nails are headed, and such heads are counter-sunk by drivingthem a suificient distance into the leather or It is to benoted that thenails 3 are osi tioned in rows and are regularly spa It -is preferablein this form of the invention to have the grain of the wood runnintransversely of the sole, as indicated in igures 2 and-3. After thesolid wooden strip 2 has been secured to the member 1, a plurality ofkerfs or saw cuts 4 are formed transversely of the wooden member or sole2.

It is to be noted that these saw cuts terminate closely adjacent theupper edge of the wooden member or sole 2, and thus eave an uncutportion 5 adjacent such flexible member. I

This verythin portion '5 will readily track, as indicated in Figure 2,and thus complete the out between successive transverse strips without,however, endangering the flexible member 1 during the sawing similarflexible strip 1..

operation as the saw does not come in contact with such member.

It is to be noted from Figures 2 and 3 that the toe portion 6 and theheel portion 7 are wider than the regularly formed transverse stripsthus insuring a rugged construction adjacent the ends of the shoe.

This solid construction adjacent the ends of the shoe is not detrimentalfor the reason that this portion of the shoe is never flexed. However,all intermediate portions of the sole may be most readily flexed andthus conform to the varying curvature of the foot during walking.

The shoe is completed by positioning the upper 8 in overlapping relationto the comp os1te sole and securing such upper in position by means of aplurality of small nails or tacks 9 which are driven through the upperand into the flexible upper member.

It 1s to be noted from Figure 4 that 5. bmdm strip or finishing strip 10is positloned tween the heads of the nails 9 and the adjacent portionsof the upper. This finishing or binding strip 10 reinforces the upperadjacent the lower edge thereof and also forms a finishing border forthe shoe.

The form shown in Figure 5 is substantially the same neral constructionas that previously described with the exception that the heel portion 11is made of greater thickness than the remaining portion of the sole.This heel ortion may conveniently be secured by re atively long nails 12corresponding to the nails 3 prevlously described.

This form of the invention provides a shoe having the usual elevatedheel and also provided with the previously described flexible woolensole. If desired, a relatively thin insole 13 may be provided in eachform of the invention, as shown in Figures 4 and 5 to protect the footof the wearer from contact with the heads of the nails.

It is preferable in the form illustrated m Figure 5, to have the grainof the wood run longitudinally of the heel 11, as illustrated, so as toprevent chipping of the back edge of such heel.

It will thus be seen that a flexible wooden soled shoe and a method ofmaking such shoe have been provided. It will further be seen that themethod of making such shoe may be practised with the eatest ease andwith the utmost rapidity. t will further be seen that in practising themethod contemplated by this invention, the accurate aligning ofsuccessive transverse strips is assured, and a neat and flexible articleresults.

Although the invention hasbeen describedin considerable detail, it is tobe understood that the invention may be variousl embodied and is,therefore, to be limited only as claimed.

I claim:

The method of making a wooden soledshoe comprising cutting a flexiblepiece of material and a wooden board into the outline of the sole of theshoe with the grain of the wood running transversely across thesole,-attaching the strip of flexible material to the wooden strip bymeans of regularly s aced rows of nails extending through the exiblestrip part way into the wooden strip,

thereafter forming saw cuts from the under side of the wooden strip intoproximity to the flexible strip and stopping short of the flexible stripand thereafter attaching an upper to the flexible strip and finishingthe shoe, whereby said sole is attached while in its unbroken conditionand will subse uently break at the slits intoaccurately definedtransverse strips when in use.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set my hand atPorto Alegre in the municipalit of Porto Ale e, an State of Rio Gran edo Sul, Braz' v ERNESTO PFESTROFF.

